Joan Jett Takes Off With New Compilation, USO Tour

05/20/1999 4:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

(5/20/99, 1 p.m. PDT) - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts are in the middle of a series of dates for Operation Allied Force on a USO Tour, which began Sunday (May 16) and runs through May 28. In addition, the band is also celebrating the release of a new compilation album and single.

Jett and company played a series of dates in the Mediterranean as scheduled, even though the band had to make do with borrowed gear, since the band's luggage was apparently lost en route. The band was scheduled to play a final date in the Mediterranean today, before moving on to bases in Taszar, Hungary on May 24, and Tuzla, Bosnia on May 25.

"It is easy to forget the volunteer troops that are deployed in unpleasant, uncomfortable, and dangerous places around the world, and who protect and defend our way of life," said Jett, who has performed for the Armed Services since 1982, in a statement. "If we can bring a little light to any of them, even for a few hours, the Blackhearts and I believe we have a responsibility to do what we can. What we do is nothing compared to what they do for us."

Meanwhile, the band recently released Fetish, a new compilation album on its own Blackheart Records label. The album's cover features the now-blonde, closely cropped Jett sporting a dog collar. Included on the set are two new tracks, "Fetish" and "Baby Blue," as well as such previously released songs as "Handyman," "The French Song," a cover of the Rolling Stones's "Star Star," "Love Is Pain," "Secret Love," "Cherry Bomb," "Hanky Panky," "Coney Island Whitefish," "Wooly Bully," and a live version of "Do You Wanna Touch Me?"

The limited edition album is available for $10 plus $3 dollars shipping made payable to Blackheart Records P.O. Box 1751 Union, N.J. 07083.

In other Jett news, the rocker recently covered the pop standard "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" for ESPN's coverage of the X-Games, which begins in late June.

Jett is also reportedly working on her next studio album, her first since 1994's Pure And Simple. Since that album's release, she recorded an album with a one-off side band, Evil Stig, with former members of the Gits.

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